World pledges aid to quake-hit Chile

(PARIS) - The US pledged assistance and the European Union
promised three million euros in immediate help to quake-hit Chile
Saturday, as aid workers rushed to the Western hemisphere's second major
quake in seven weeks.

The United States "stands ready to assist
in the rescue and recovery efforts, and we have resources that are
positioned to deploy should the Chilean government ask for our help,"
President Barack Obama said in a televised address from Washington.

"On
behalf of the American people, Michelle and I send our deepest
condolences to the Chilean people," the US president added of the 8.8
magnitude earthquake that has killed scores in Chile and sent a tsunami
surging across the Pacific.

In Brussels, European Commission chief
Jose Manuel Barroso promised more help was ready, if needed.

"I
am deeply shocked at the extent of the devastation that is emerging,"
Barroso said.

As a "first step", he said, the commission's
humanitarian aid department would release the three million euros (four
million dollars) "to relieve suffering and meet the immediate needs."

Barroso
said the bloc "stands ready to do whatever it takes to help the Chilean
authorities at this time of need."

Meanwhile, the British Red
Cross released 50,000 pounds (76,000 dollars) from its disaster fund for
Chile.

"We anticipate the situation in the worst affected areas
closer to the epicentre to be much more serious," said Pete Garratt, the
British Red Cross disaster relief manager.

"Our fear is that this
quake will have had large scale impact."

UN chief Ban Ki-moon was
"very closely monitoring developments, including the risk of Pacific
Rim tsunamis, after the huge earthquake in Chile," his office said in a
statement.

"The secretary-general expresses his condolences to
those who have lost family and friends and wishes those injured a speedy
recovery."

International aid charities said they were dispatching
experts to Chile but predicted that the devastation would be far lower
than in Haiti where a January 12 quake killed 200,000 people.

British
charity Oxfam said it was sending five water engineers and logistics
experts from Chile to Colombia.

Disaster relief charity ShelterBox
said it was mobilising an initial response team from Britain and the
United States.

A number of countries sent their condolences to the
Latin American country.

"The people of Chile are in agony today
but Britain stands ready to help. We will do whatever we can," said
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

French President Nicolas
Sarkozy expressed his "deep emotion," while Foreign Minister Bernard
Kouchner said Paris "in consultation with its European Union partners is
ready to respond to the Chilean demands for assistance."

Argentine
President Cristina Kirchner also pledged assistance.

For its
part, Switzerland said it was sending a "small assessment team" to Chile
to examine whether the country has any specific needs, Swiss Foreign
Ministry spokesman Erik Reumann told AFP.